Kennewick, WA – The Tri-City Americans (1-2-0) picked a really good time to find their offensive touch. In the first two games of the young season, the Americans were able to score just four goals. Six days ago, the Everett Silvertips (2-2-0) beat the Americans 4-1. Late in the contest tonight, it looked like Everett was going to hand the Americans their third straight loss. Tri-City had different plans though, beating the Silvertips 5-4 in front of 4,475 ruckus fans.
The Americans opened the first period strong, scoring just 1:58 into the contest. Isaac Johnson notched his first WHL goal on the strength of good puck movement from Jusso Välimäki and Carson Focht. Välimäki, playing in his first game of the season after being returned from the Calgary Flames, made his presence known early and often. That goal, however, would be the only bright point for the Americans for nearly the next twenty minutes. Everett got the equalizer just over two minutes later as Matt Fonteyne netted his fourth of the early season on the power play. Americans’ defenseman Samuel Stewart was serving a minor for hooking. It took Everett just seven seconds to convert on that power play. The Silvertips took control of the period and badly outshot the Americans 16-6 in the opening frame. Americans goaltender Beck Warm made some key saves and the teams entered the first intermission tied at one. The high-powered Americans offense still hadn’t made an appearance.
The second period got off to a similar start for both teams. 1:39 into the frame, Americans’ defensemen Dylan Coghlan netted his first of the season after a great screen was set up in front of Everett goalie Dorrin Luding. Again, the Americans were seeing the momentum shift in their favor. And again, it would be short lived. Just over three minutes later, Everett forward Orrin Centazzo would get his first goal of the season. Several defensive miscues by the Americans allowed Centazzo to get to the net fairly easily and beat Warm to tie the game. Five-and-a-half minutes later, Matt Fonteyne got his second of the contest and give Everett the lead. Instead of sitting back, the Americans were able to change their approach a bit and find some success. Everett had been good most of the game at keeping the Americans to the outside. Tri-City was able to start pressing more and got traffic in front of the net. The line of Brett Leason, Riley Sawchuck, and Isaac Johnson had a great shift late in the period buzzing and crashed the Everett net, producing several quality scoring chances. The chances paid off at 15:30 as Leason scored his first of the season. The teams would again skate into the intermission tied.
Early in the third, Everett center Connor Dewar gave the Silvertips the 4-3 lead. Patrick Bajkov and Fonteyne picked up the assists on the play giving every player on that potent line multiple points for the night. For nearly the next fifteen minutes, Everett was able to keep the Americans where they wanted them…playing from the perimeter. Everett goalie Carter Hart, who replaced Luding in the second period, after Luding left the game with an injury, stopped the few chances the Americans offense were able to muster up. At 16:45 of the final period, the tide changed. Välimäki collected a great pass from Americans forward Morgan Geekie near the left point, skated past the only Everett defender near him, had a great deke to get Hart to commit low, and then blasted his first goal of the season behind Hart into the empty net. Tie game. After a close call, an Everett chance that actually went to video review before being called no-goal, the Americans again converted. With just over a minute left in the tie game, Americans forward
Morgan Geekie, who was one of the hardest working players the entire game, was rewarded with his first goal of the season. After getting into the clear with only Hart to beat, Geekie went bar down over Hart’s left shoulder to give the Americans the 5-4 lead. Geekie’s goal would be the game winner as the Americans skated away with their first win of the season. Shots were 37-35 in favor of Everett. Everett went 1/2 on the power play while the Americans were unable to convert on their only man-advantage of the game.
The only player who still hasn’t returned to the team from their NHL camp is Michael Rasmussen. He is still listed on the Red Wings roster as Detroit wrapped up it’s preseason schedule this evening. At this point, he is expected to be returned to the Americans to continue his development. The only question is when.
The Americans next game is at home on Tuesday, October 3rd against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Everett will play the Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday the fourth in Spokane.
